 It
seems like only yesterday that Sifu Rudy Serrano and I
opened
College Center Karate
just down the street on College Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard.
Today, as you pass by, all you see is the sprawling Campus Plaza
Shopping Center. The old warehouse of Whiting and Mead Lumber is
nothing more than just a memory.
Like any new business, our enrollment in the beginning was very
small. It consisted of mostly kids of our friends and some of our
adult friends who wanted to exercise and have a chance to get out of
the house for a few hours. But, within a few months after we were
open, our classes started to grow. Sifu Rudy took care of
enrollment and I did the instructing. Shortly after, Sifu Fred,
Sifu Rudy Celaya, and Sifu Frank Marino joined the school after they
had left Adams Kenpo Karate studio. Eventually, they were tested
and were certified as black belts and started instructing.
Sifu Rudy Serrano and I eventually dissolved our partnership, and I
went on my own. I made some changes in the school, including the
name. I renamed the studio, "Cepeda Bros. Martial Arts" after my
late brother, Joe, had joined Sifu Fred and me in the studio. I
changed the traditional white gi to the black uniform that everyone
wears today. I deleted some techniques and added new ones. I added
some movements on the form to make it more fluid and strong. We
changed our style of sparring from non-contact to full contact
fighting. Right from the start, I wanted to teach Kenpo that would
be suited for self-defense on the street; our training was
intensive, hard, and disciplined.
As the school started to grow and become more assertive, we started
to perform Martial Arts demonstrations in Kenpo as well as Arnis De
Mano, not only in San Diego, but throughout California and as far
east as Florida. We got involved in Martial Arts competition and
produced top competitors and champions such as Sifu JoJo Abueg who
was the top rank weapons competitor in the western United States;
the late Ricky Miyahara who was one of the dynamic breakers in
Southern California; Sifu John Smith who was the grand champion at
Ted Tabura's karate tournament in Nevada and who presented his
trophy to the school. Most of our black belts, as well as our Jr.
Kenpo students, came home with first place trophies throughout the
years of competitions.
The school has been graced with some of Martial Arts greatest
practitioners in the last 25 years such as Chuck Norris, who visited
the studio and did a television promotion for his first movie, "Good
Guys Wear Black;" Master Jeff Speakman who conducted an all black
belt workout at the school; Sifu Eric Lee who gave one of his
dynamic Kung Fu seminars; Chief Instructor Al Tejero who taught Sifu
Ricky Miyahara, Frank Marino, and most of our black belts the art of
breaking; Shihan John Damien who gave countless seminars in the art
of Aikido the last 25 years; Master Leo Geron who created the art of
Largo Mano of Escrima; Professor Emperado who co-founded, along with
three other masters the art of Kujukenbo; and of course my two
master instructors, Brian Adams, my teacher in the art of Kenpo; and
Guro Narrie Babao who taught Sifu JoJo, Sifu Fred, and me the art of
Arnis De Mano.
All these Masters have indeed contributed to the success of Cepeda
Bros. Martial Arts the last 25 years. They will always be
remembered and respected.
To the loving memory of my mom, Mrs. Juana Cabrera, who passed away
in April of this year. My mom was always supportive of Sifu Fred
and I in the studio. Her advice to us, that I will always remember
most, is always be patient with your students and they will reward
you in the end. My family will miss her dearly.
To the tragic loss of Sifu Ricky Miyahara which not only devastated
Fred and Tricia Miyahara and the family, but my wife Arlene and me
as well. I knew Sifu Ricky when he was six-years old; this little
boy who came into the studio and couldn't wait to start his Martial
Arts training. He eventually became one of the youngest black belts
to be certified in the school. Sifu Ricky was a natural Martial
Artist whose dedication and respect toward his students and fellow
black belts was a credit to himself and to the studio. He made
everyone around him better. Arlene and I will always remember Sifu
Ricky as a son, and we will miss him dearly.
To my loving brother, Joe "Boy" Cepeda, who passed away in 1992 at
age 59. My brother, Joe, dedicated himself to his Martial Arts.
Even though he started training late in his life,
he was looking forward to coming to the studio to train and help out
with the kids' class. He was always there when we needed his help.
I will always miss him.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
Sifu JoJo for the commendable job he is doing in the every day
operation of the studio. To the black belt instructors, Ira
Fefferman, Tony Ordas, Lee Malin, Jim Seeley, and Jeff Martin for
their dedication to me, Sifu JoJo, Sifu Fred, and the studio for all
their help. I thank them all.
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